Seamer for filled cans with countersunk bottoms



SLAM-i NUUWi 21, 1948- R. E. J. NoRDQUlsT SEAMER FOR FILLED CANS WITH COUNTERSUNK BOTTOMS Filed July 5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l SEARCH RGP USC- 21, 1943- R. E. J. NoRDQulsT 2,456,644

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u; SEAMER FOR FILLED CANS WITH COUNTERSUNK BOTTOMS Filed July 5, 1945 s sheets-sheet s T--Z ;'4 4e /Z /3 l k /4 I 52 ,l 3 HZg'. g

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Patented Dec. 21, 1948 SEARCH ROOM SEAMER FOR FILLED CAN S WITH COUNTER- SUNK BOTTOMS Ronald E. J. Nordquist, Maplewood; N. J., as-

signor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 5, 1945, Serial No. 603,286

2 Claims.

This invention relates to can closing machines and the like and has particular reference to a seat ledge formed in a support or pocket of a rotatable turret for positioning a can with its cover loosely applied thereto preparatory to centering, shifting and rotating the can with its cover into sealing position for sealing the same.

The present invention contemplates a can closing machine wherein a seat ledge is provided in a support which may take the form of a rotatable turret for placing a non-rotating filled can and cover in alignment with a rotatable plunger as an incident to centering, lifting and rotating them while holding the cover onto the can to prevent spilling the contents from the can.

An object of the invention is the provision. in a can closing machine, of a seat ledge formed in the surrounding wall of a can receiving pocket for supporting a lled can` with its cover in a momentary non-rotating position and until the cover and can are fully assembled to prevent spilling of the can contents thereby insuring that the can is fully closed just prior to being clamped between a rotatable plunger and a rotatable chuck for a can sealing operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of the character described of a non-rotating seat ledge formed in a pocket of a turret for receiving a filled can and for holding it against rotation prior to the can. being shifted into position for sealing so that a rotatable lifter plunger may be inserted into the countersunk panel of the can bottom end to center the can as it is being transferred and rotated.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a combination vertical and sectional elevation of a can closing machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a can and its superimposed cover in a non-rotatable position over an opening in a supporting ledge seat of a turret pocket just after the can and cover have been assembled and preparatory to finally centering the can; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the can and cover parts fully assembled and fully lifted into seaming position in which position the parts are clamped between a rotatable lifter plunger and a rotatable chuck as an incident to seaming.

As a preferred embodiment of the present in.- vention the drawings disclose the important parts of a. high speed can closing machine wherein filled cans A are brought to rest momentarily over an opening in a support for receiving their respective can covers. The can herein being shown is resting on a ledge seat in the pocket of a rotatable turret. In such a rest position the can is non-rotatable relative to the turret pocket until after the cover is assembled and held thereto. Thus spilling of the contents from the filled can is prevented.

In the instant invention the assembled can A and cover B are held together on the support or ledge seat preparatory to centering them between rotatable members. Following this centering, each lled can with its associate cover is lifted as a unit into seaming position where they are clamped between the rotatable members as an incident to a seaming operation. During such an operation seaming rollers of the conventional form engage the cover ange and fold it into an end seam. This sealing of the cover onto the can fully confines the contents in the can.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, a can A is herein shown in va non-rotating position on a ledge seat formed in a pocket I2 of a lower web I3 of a rotatable turret I4. There preferably are six such pockets in the turret. A vertical opening I5 is cut through the turrt web I3 and through each pocket I2 leaving a surrounding pocket ledge seat I6 of substantially the width of a can end seam. A semi-circular vertical wall II surrounds the ledge seat I6 and serves to arrest and locate the fed can A initially in its turret pocket.

The turret I4 also has an upper web II having a plurality of semi-circular turret pockets I8, there being one of such pockets in vertical alignment with each pocket I2. Each turret pocket I8 is partially surrounded by a semi-circular ledge 2I in a Wall 23. Such a ledge is formed or cut back for clearance of a cover B which is assembled with the can A at the time the can is brought into its turret pocket. This is preparatory to operations which are incidental to the seaming.

The turret I4 is secured to a. hollow sleeve section 24 of a rotary member 25. This sleeve section is mounted on a lower vertical shaft 26 (Fig. llt Sh aft 26 is journaled in suitable bearings in the lower part of the instant machine which, for the purpose of this invention need not be shown. This latter shaft may be operated in any convenient manner from its lower end to rotate the turret I4 and the rotary member 25 in unison.

Covers B are fed individually into position onto a filled can A in a turret pocket I8 by a cover feed-in turret 21 (Figs. 1 and 2). Such a turret is formed with a plurality of cover pockets 28. A plurality of feed fingers or studs 29 are secured to the turret, one back of the periphery of each turret pocket 28. These ngers advance the covers located directly over their respective turret pockets while the covers move along beneath a. stationary segment plate 30. A track is formed in the under surface of the plate and extends above the feed-in turret 21. The supporting track for the cover is provided with a suitable ledge 3| of a strip 32 secured to the segment plate.

Turret 21 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 33 which rotates the turret in proper time for delivery of a cover B in superimposed relation to a filled can A as it is being brought into cover receiving position. Shaft 33 is driven in any suitable manner preferably from the shaft 26.

The rotary member 25 is formed with suitable seaming heads 35 having bosses 36 (Figs. 1 and 2) wherein the seaming head parts are carried. There is a seaming head unit for each turret pocket. The seaming head unit includes a rotatable seaming chuck 31, a can knockout 38 and one or more cooperating seaming rollers 39. i,

Each seaming chuck 31 is mounted on the lower end of a hollow vertical shaft 42 journaled in suitable bearings in the head 35. The sleeve shafts 42 are driven by gears 43, such a gear being mounted on the upper end of each shaft. Gears 43 mesh with and are driven by a central gear 44 mounted near the lower end of an upper vertical shaft 45. Shaft 45 is journaled in suitable bearings 46, 41 carried in the rotary seaming head member 25. Shaft 45 may be driven from its upper end in any suitable manner, preferably at high speed so that the chucks 31 upon engaging the clamped covers onto the filled cans will spin them rapidly for the seaming operation.

The seaming chucks 31 are of the conventional form, each being designed to t Within the countersunk section of a cover B (Fig. 4. Such a chuck is provided with a recess as at 48 within which the can knockout 38 is disposed. Each can knockout is carried at the lower end of a stem 52 which extends through its associated hollow shaft 42.

Each can knockout 38 is operable relative to its associate chuck 31 by reciprocation cf its carrying stem 52 within the shaft 42. This may be done in the usual manner suitable power ybeing applied to the upper end of the stem 52 in time with other moving parts of the machine.

The seaming rollers 33 freely rotate on pins 53 carried in seaming roll holders 54 (Figs. 1 and 2). Each seaming roll holder -is mounted on a rocker shaft 55 carried in suitable bearings in a vertical support 56 intermediate two adjacent chucks 31. Such a support is secured to its associated boss 36 by a cap 51. The rocker shaft 55 may be operated in conventional manner from its upper end to bring the rollers into engagement against the covers B while the cans and covers are being 4 rotated by the chucks 31. ing operation.

A plurality of rotatable lifter plungers 62 are mounted and operated in any suitable manner beneath the turret I4, there being one such plunger for each turret pocket (Fig. 1). These lifter plungers are disposed in vertical alignment with the respective chucks 31 and are moved up through the openings I5 in the individual turret pockets to lift the filled can A and its held cover B as a unit into sealing position.

The upper peripheral edge of each plunger 62 is tapered slightly and passes within the countersunk bottom of the can A as the plunger moves up preparatory to sealing. Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates the plunger 62 just prior to entering the countersunk bottom as it moves up through the opening I5. The tapered construction of the top of the plunger centers the lled can as it gradually enters the countersunk bottom and lifts the can from its ledge seat I I.

Before the plunger 62 centers the can and lifts it from the turret pocket, the can knockout 38 moves down and engages the top of the cover B and holds it tightly against the lled can A while it rests on its ledge seat II. It is at this time that a flange C of the can A is engaged by the cover. The lled can then is closed against spilling of its contents. The can knockout 38 and the lifter plunger 62 thereafter move simultaneously into the position illustrated in Fig. 4, at which time the cover B engages the rotatable chu-ck 31 and begins its rotation.

Thus it will be observed that it; is the upward movement of the plunger 62 that clamps the filled can and cover against the chuck 31 and results in rapid rotation of the same. The seaming roller 39 moves in against the cover B in the usual manner thus sealing the cover onto the can.

Following the sealing operation after the seaming rollers 39 have moved outwardly, the plunger 62 is lowered to return the sealed can and cover into initial position on the support or ledge seat I I. The can knockout 38 cooperates with this lowering movement of the plunger in conventional manner thereby releasing the sealed cover from the rotatable chuck 31. The sealed can thereafter is discharged from the machine and the cycle of operation is repeated on other filled cans and covers.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a proferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

1. In a can closing machine for sealing a cover onto a filled can having a countersunk bottom end, the combination of a seaming head including a rotatable chuck, a cooperating seaming roller and means for rotating said chuck, a support turret having an opening in alignment with the chuck and a fiat can supporting surface surrounding the turret opening and extending outwardly to the turret periphery, said at surface providing a ledge seat defined by a vertical wall spaced from the edge of said opening and located for receiving and stopping a fed turret-supported filled open can of diameter greater than the turret opening in centered position over the turret opening, said turret opening being of a diameter This is the usual sealolli-imm mfom substantallythe same as the diameter of said chuck, and a rotatable lifter plunger disposed Within said turret opening in vertically spaced relation to the countersunk bottom of the can supported on said turret ledge seat, said plunger being vertically movable within said turret opening to engage Within said countersunk can bottom to lift the lled can from said ledge seat and clamp the can and a superimposed cover against said rotating chuck to cause the can and cover to rotate in sealing engagement with said seaming roller when the latter is moved into sealing engagement with the can cover.

2. In a can closing machine for sealing a cover onto a lled can having a countersunk bottom end, the combination of a seaming head including a rotatable chuck, a cooperating seaming roller and means for rotating said chuck, a support turret having an opening in alignment with the chuck and a flat can supporting surface surroundlng the turret opening and extending outwardly to the turret periphery, said at surface providing a ledge seat dened by a vertical Wall spaced from the edge of said opening and located for receiving and stopping a fed turret-supported lled open can of diameter greater than the turret opening in centered position over the turret opening, said turret opening being of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said chuck,

means for loosely applying a cover to the can after its reception in centered position on said seat, and a rotatable lifter plunger disposed within said turret opening in vertically spaced relation to the countersunk bottom of the can supported on said turret ledge seat, said plunger being vertically movable within said turretl opening to engage within said countersunk can bottom to lift the filled can and cover from said ledge seat to center the can with the cover and to clamp the can and cover against said rotating chuck to cause the can and cover to rotate in sealing engagement with said searning roller when the latter is moved into sealing engagement with the can cover.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 891,163 Guenther June 16, 1908 1,049,227 Guenther Dec. 31, 1912 1,146,474 Bruckmann et al. July 13, 1915 1,621,580 Cameron Mar. 22, 1927 1,763,458 Coyle June 10, 1930 2,308,296 Mills Jan. 12, 1943 

